She made a noise and kissed him back with more response, restless hands picking at his shirt, looking for the buttons.
He broke them open with a couple of yanks, then shrugged it off and discarded it, too hot for clothes. On fire for her.
She pulled her other arm free of her dress and held up her arms for him to come back. Soft curves, velvety skin. He loved the feel of her against his bare chest and biceps. Delicate, but spry. So warm, smelling of rain and tea and the drugging scent of sexual fulfillment.
Her smooth hands traced over his torso and back, making him groan at how good it felt on skin that was taut and sensitized. She tasted like nectarines, he thought, opening his mouth on the swell of her breast. He tongued her nipple, more aggressive than he had been the first time.
She arched for more.
He was going too fast, he cautioned himself, but he wanted to consume her. He wanted her dress out of the way, he wanted her hands everywhere on him—
She arched to strip the garment down.
He slid down the bed as he whisked the dress away, pressing his lips to her quivering belly, blowing softly on the fine hairs of her mound, laughing with delight at finally being here. He was so filled with desire his heart was slamming, pulse reverberating through his entire body.
“Mikolas,” she breathed.
Her fingers were in his hair like she was petting a wolf, tugging hard enough to force him to lift his head before he’d barely nuzzled her.
“Make love to me.”
A lightning rod of lust went through him. He steeled himself to maintain his control when all he wanted was to push her legs apart and rise over her.
“I am.” He was going to make her scream with release.
“I mean really.” Her hand moved to cradle his jaw, her touch light against the clenched muscle in his cheek. Entreaty filled her eyes. “Please.”
She had come into his life to destroy him in the most subversive yet effective way possible.
He could barely move, but he drew back, coming up on an elbow, trying to hold on to what shreds of gentlemanly conduct he possessed.
“Do you ever do what’s expected of you?”
“You don’t want to?” The appalled humiliation that crept into her tone scared the hell out of him.
“Of course I want to.” He spoke too harshly. He was barely hanging on to rational thought over here.
She tensed, wary.
He set his hand on her navel, breathed, tried to find something that passed for civilized behavior, but found only the thief he had once been. His hand stole lower, unable to help himself. His thumb detoured along her cleft, finding her slick and ready. Need pearled into one place that made her gasp raggedly when he found it, circling and teasing.
Her thighs relaxed open. She arched to his touch. “Please,” she begged. “I want to know how it feels.”
He was only human, not a superhero. He pulled away, hearing her catch back a noise of injury.
Her breath caught in the next instant as she saw he was rising to open his pants. He stripped in jerky, uncoordinated movements, watching her swallow and bite her bottom lip. He made himself take his time retrieving the condom so she had lots of opportunity to change her mind.
“I’ll stop if you want me to,” he promised as he covered himself, then settled over her. He would. He didn’t know how, but he would.
Please don’t make me stop.
* * *
It would really happen this time. Viveka’s nerves sizzled as Mikolas covered her. He was such a big person compared with her. He loomed. She skimmed her fingertips over his broad shoulders and was starkly aware of how much space his hips and thighs took up as he settled without hesitation between her own.
She tensed, nervous.
He kissed her in abbreviated catches of her mouth that didn’t quite satisfy before he pulled away, then did it again.
She made a noise of impatience and wiggled beneath him. “I want—”
“Me, too,” he growled against her mouth. Then he lifted to trace himself against her folds. “You’re sure?” he murmured, looking down to where they touched.
So sure. “Yes,” she breathed.
He positioned himself and pressed.
It hurt. So much. She fought her instinctive tension, tried to make herself relax, tried not to resist, but the sting became more and more intense. He seemed huge. Tears came into her eyes. She couldn’t hold back a throaty noise of anxiety.